It has long been known that naturally occurring oils and fats (triglycerides of fatty acids or fatty acid mixtures containing at least partly olefinically unsaturated double bonds) can be subjected to epoxidation which converts one or all of the double bonds in the molecule into epoxide rings. A process suitable for this purpose is described for example by Thomas W. Findley et al. in J. Am. Chem. Soc. 67, 413 (1945).
It is also known that epoxidized triglycerides, for example, epoxidized beef tallow, can be converted into higher alcohols by ring opening with polyfunctional alcohols such as trimethylol propane. A corresponding process is described by A. Bilyk et al. in Journal of the American Oil Chemist Society 51, 119 (1974).
The object of the known ring opening process is to react all the epoxide groups in the particular epoxidized triglyceride used, while accepting the fact that transesterification also occurs under the generally very rigorous reaction conditions applied.
In the course of efforts to replace petrochemical products by renewable raw materials, there was a need, particularly in the field of alkyd resins, for a raw material which contains epoxide groups as well as secondary hydroxyl groups and ether groups, and which is at least predominantly oleochemical by nature.